Real Skateboards: The True Spirit of San Francisco Skateboarding

The story of Real Skateboards begins right on the streets of San Francisco and with two figures who changed the world of skateboarding forever: Tommy Guerrero and Jim Thiebaud.

The two skaters grew up together in the 1980s, skating every day at hill bombs, street spots, and endless sessions in the Bay Area, during one of the most important and revolutionary periods in skateboarding history.

Both were part of Powell Peralta’s legendary Bones Brigade, the team that practically redefined modern skateboarding. Tommy Guerrero was already considered one of the most stylish and influential skaters on the planet, while Jim Thiebaud was making a name for himself thanks to a style that was powerful, fast, and incredibly technical for that era.

At one point, Jim left Powell Peralta to join SMA alongside Natas Kaupas, but his bond with Tommy Guerrero never truly broke. By the late 1980s, skateboarding was changing radically.

Giant ramps and vert were giving way to a more street-oriented, rawer, and more authentic form of skateboarding. And it was precisely at that moment that Fausto Vitello, a key figure in the birth of Thrasher Magazine and the entire San Francisco skate scene, pushed Jim and Tommy to create something completely new.

Thus, Real Skateboards was born. A brand truly created by skaters for skaters, without commercial filters and without compromise. The idea was to bring skateboarding back to the streets, away from the overly contrived image that many companies were beginning to project at the time. Real was meant to represent the most authentic, raw, and independent skate culture possible.

Real Skateboards and the 90s Street Skating Revolution

When Real Skateboards was officially founded in 1991, the brand immediately brought a completely different vision compared to many companies of the era. San Francisco was becoming the absolute center of the global skateboarding scene, and Real perfectly embodied that raw, fast, and aggressive energy emerging on the city’s streets.

Tommy Guerrero and Jim Thiebaud immediately built an incredible team, selecting skaters with strong personalities, unique styles, and a completely street-oriented approach. It wasn’t just about having technical riders, but about truly representing the Bay Area’s skate culture.

Real quickly began to become one of the most respected brands on the planet precisely because the brand felt authentic in every way. Raw videos, authentic street spots, powerful skateboarding, and zero fake marketing. Everything felt credible because it truly emerged from the San Francisco skate scene.

According to Tommy Guerrero, the true genius behind Real has always been Jim Thiebaud. And indeed, his vision contributed enormously to building a brand that, after more than thirty years, continues to be one of the most influential in the global skateboarding world.

The Real Skateboards team: absolute legends and the new generation

Since the 1990s, the Real Skateboards team has always been considered one of the strongest and most respected in the world. Legendary riders like Salman Agah and Keith Hufnagel contributed enormously to the brand’s growth, bringing a style of skateboarding that was technical, creative, and far ahead of its time.

Keith Hufnagel, in particular, became an iconic figure not only for Real but for the entire global street culture. His style and influence have left a massive mark on both skateboarding and contemporary streetwear.

Over the years, Real has continued to build an impressive team without ever losing credibility. Even today, the brand supports some of the strongest and most stylish skaters on the planet, such as Dennis Busenitz, Ishod Wair, Kyle Walker, Chima Ferguson, Mason Silva, Hermann Stene, Robbie Brockel, Dan Mancina, Tanner Van Vark, and Ernie Torres.

And this is precisely one of Real Skateboards’ most incredible qualities: the ability to continually evolve while always maintaining the same original street identity born on the streets of San Francisco over thirty years ago.

Each rider on the team represents a different style of skateboarding, but they all share the same raw and powerful attitude that has always defined the brand’s DNA.

San Francisco, Deluxe Distribution, and the Most Authentic Skate Culture

Talking about Real Skateboards inevitably means talking about San Francisco. The Californian city is arguably the most important place in the history of modern skateboarding. It is here that Thrasher Magazine, Independent Trucks, Venture Trucks, and much of the skate culture that still influences the entire world today were born.

Fausto Vitello played a massive role in the growth of this entire scene. Without his vision, many of skateboarding’s most important brands likely would never have existed.

Real Skateboards quickly became the heart of Deluxe Distribution, one of the most legendary skate distributors of all time. Anti Hero and Krooked also emerged from within Deluxe, creating a true skate family that still dominates the global scene today.

What makes Deluxe so important is that all the brands maintain a very strong and independent identity while being part of the same universe. Real represents the most technical and raw street side, Anti Hero the most aggressive and anarchic spirit of skateboarding, while Krooked brings creativity and artistic madness to the scene.

Even today, Deluxe Distribution is considered one of the last true bastions of authentic American skateboarding.

Real Skateboards Decks: Incredible Pop and Legendary Construction

For over thirty years, Real Skateboards decks have been considered among the best ever produced in modern skateboarding. In a market full of brands that all look the same, Real has managed to stand out thanks to extremely solid construction, perfect shapes, and technologies truly developed to enhance the skate experience.

One of the brand’s most famous features is undoubtedly the R1 concave, which has become a true benchmark for thousands of skaters worldwide. Real decks offer an extremely precise feel underfoot, with explosive pop, great control, and durability far above average.

Unlike many decks that lose responsiveness after just a few intense sessions, Real boards maintain their pop and structure much longer, even during the most intense street skating.

The construction uses the highest quality Canadian maple, and production takes place primarily in the U.S. and Mexico, maintaining extremely high manufacturing standards. The result is lightweight, durable, and high-performance boards suitable for technical street skating as well as gaps, rails, parks, and aggressive skateboarding.

Real also offers a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and concaves to suit every type of skater. From modern street setups to wider, more powerful boards, every deck consistently delivers the same feel of control and solidity that has made the brand famous worldwide.

Why Real Skateboards remains one of the most respected brands in the world today 

After more than thirty years, Real Skateboards continues to perfectly embody authentic skateboarding. The brand has never lost its connection to the streets, to San Francisco, and to the real skate culture that made it legendary from the very beginning.

In an era where many brands seem built more for marketing than for skaters, Real continues to produce decks designed by those who actually skate every day.

Incredible videos, a top-notch team, exceptional build quality, and a legendary history make Real one of the few brands capable of bridging the gap between the old school and the new generation.

In the Pleasures Milano catalog, you’ll find a selection of Real Skateboards curated by those who have been immersed in skateboarding and street culture since 1999. Original decks, technical shapes, pro boards, and some of the most iconic models in the global skate scene.